Dome 6, p.18
Dome 6, page 18
“I was busy trying not to kill them, remember?”
“Still, this is important.” Kagee frowned fiercely.
“Why are you mad at me all of a sudden?”
“This is something that impacts my people directly, Phex! My planet.”
“I thought you hated it here.”
“I did too. I was wrong. Clearly. So, this enlightenment? What is it? What is it doing to Agatay worshipers?”
Phex hated to disappoint him but: “I have no idea.”
Kagee growled in frustration. His gaze shifted to Miramo standing and chatting animatedly with Berril and two awed worshipers in a corner. Levin wasn’t attending this event.
Phex looked at the floor. “Missit’s blasted parents seem remarkably forthcoming about their research and remarkably interested in Asterism because of it. We might get more out of them on enlightenment if we engage them in protracted conversation. Which I was trying to do when you pulled me away.”
“Protracted conversation? You?” Kagee sneered.
“I was thinking of siccing Tyve and Berril on them.”
“See, you can be smart.”
“Should we invite Missit’s parents to visit us and conduct oral interviews in an act of benevolent graciousness?”
“Phex, you got evil when I wasn’t looking. Well done.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s crafty. I like it.”
“Let’s talk to the acolytes when we get back to the ship. See if we can officially arrange it. Also, I need to tell Missit that his parents are here. I doubt they saw fit to inform him themselves.”
“You promise not to kill them?”
“How about a light maiming?”
“You can’t maim your boyfriend’s parents. Not done.”
“Boyfriend?”
“You’re not fooling anybody.”
“I certainly hope I’m fooling the acolytes. Show me how your deadly jewelry works and maybe I’ll just poison them.”
“My baby boy is all grown up and getting vicious. I’m so proud.”
“Just one ring?”
“No, but I applaud the thought.”
Phex crossed his arms and relaxed slightly. He liked having Kagee back on his side. He looked around, surprised to find that his ire had cooled. He was peckish, too. Were there snacks?
“Get them out!” That was Quasilun’s voice, instantly recognizable and booming out over the congregation.
Itrio’s voice came next. “Phex! Fixed!”
Phex and Kagee swung back-to-back.
Phex checked for the rest his pantheon. Quasilun was standing in front of Jinyesun and Fandina. Tyve and Berril were under the care of Bob and two other bodyguards. Itrio was wading through the confused gathering toward Phex and Kagee, who had accidentally isolated themselves in an effort to have a private conversation.
They couldn’t tell which of the several dozen VIPs in that room was fixed. But there was a writhing lump of local security personnel to one side that Phex assumed had the fixed at the bottom of the pile.
Itrio came bouncing up. “Already neutralized, but it’s a good excuse to get you all out of here.”
“That was fast,” said Phex, who hadn’t even unwound his whip scarf.
Itrio said, “It’s not good, though. It was an Agatay fixed. They shouldn’t be that far gone already.”
“I guess the acolytes miscalculated.”
“I guess they did.” Itrio looked dour. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Phex glanced over the crowd. He was taller than most Agatay, so it wasn’t difficult. Missit’s parents were easy to spot. They were recording everything, wrist idents out, faces intent.
Phex wondered how much trouble he’d be in if he just whipped his scarf out at them. Just a little scratch. They had abandoned their child to the divinity in order to better understand that divinity. Missit had suffered two-fold for his godhood, yet still gone on to become one of the greatest. How had he not become bitter? How had he become the capricious, good-humored golden child that Phex had once held in his arms?
For the first time, Phex understood Kagee’s anger on his behalf. Kagee had hated the Wheel for what it had done to Phex. But the Wheel had done it out of indifference. Carelessness. Missit’s parents had done it intentionally. For the divinity.
Was the divinity truly to blame for everything?
They docked back on the Nusplunder to find Tillam waiting for them.
“We heard that a fixed attacked. Are you all okay?” Missit was shifting his stance from foot to foot, his eyes on Phex, but he carefully addressed all of Asterism with his public concern.
The murmel around his neck trilled in a way that was both affectionate and instructional. Presumably trying to calm his anxiety.
“That was fast,” said Tyve. Her brother scooped her into a hug. She batted at him in affectionate annoyance.
“Tern likes to follow local news whenever we’re in orbit,” explained Missit.
Tillam’s light grace tilted his head almost sarcastically. Phex couldn’t think of anything more unpleasant than local politics, in any corner of the galaxy. Tern had weird interests.
Kagee pushed through Tillam and into the spaceship’s hallway. “Word travels fast on Agatay. The divinity can’t keep a lid on things here. We still have an old-fashioned radio broadcast system. It isn’t infonet-dependent.” Kagee said this without changing languages, like he meant the acolytes to hear.
Phex and the others followed aboard.
“I bet they aren’t letting this beam out to the rest of the galaxy,” said Zil in Galactic, arm around Tyve’s neck as they walked.
“Certainly not. The divinity always suppresses info on fixed attacks,” Kagee replied in Galactic Common, his accented Agatay dialect more pronounced than ever.
Phex thought back over his conversation with Missit’s parents. He looked at Zil, wondering if he would understand. “It’s too soon, though, isn’t it?” He also switched to Galactic, aware now that he spoke it with an archaic accent. Wondering why no one had ever told him. Wondering if that was one reason he’d been mocked on Attacon.
“Too soon for what?” asked Tyve.
“Agatay to have fixed.” They were speaking rapidly. The acolytes and sifters were confused about what was happening.
Phex said quickly and directly to Missit, “Your parents are in orbit.”
“My what?”
Tern moved to Missit’s side in a show of support. Phex was pathetically grateful for this.
Dimsum made a little squawk noise and then patted Missit’s cheek with one tiny hand.
Kagee added, “They’re here.”
Phex explained. “They were at the VIP congregation. They had a long conversation with the acolytes. And me.” He kept his gaze steady on Missit’s face, looking for signs of sorrow or stress. The murmel was doing the same.
Missit just looked confused. “At the meet-and-greet for Asterism?”
“Well, Tillam isn’t hosting VIP services, just us,” said Kagee, trying to mitigate the offense.
But Phex thought that wasn’t fair. Missit deserved the truth, not platitudes. “They are here for Asterism. Apparently, they find something about us worth studying.”
“Not Tillam and not me?” Missit understood the implications.
Kagee banged Phex on the shoulder with a closed fist. “Why are you being mean about this?”
“I’m being truthful. He needs to protect himself.”
Missit looked at Phex far too fondly. “Of course you would think that.”
Phex made a face. “No insult intended, but I don’t like your parents at all, Missit.”
Missit beamed at him. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
From behind them one of the acolytes said, “Why are they talking in Galactic?”
Another said, “This is a Dyesi ship, proper linguistic respect should be observed.”
Phex puffed out a breath, ignoring them. “I’m about to disappoint you. Again.”
“Again? Disappoint? What? Phex?” Missit was adorable when he was confused.
Phex stared at him hard, wondering if Missit could see the pain behind his question. “We are gods, should we meddle?”
Missit relaxed a little and gave one of his old familiar smiles. “Phex, gods always meddle, it’s part of our charm.”
Phex nodded rather than clicking. “You’ll remember you gave me permission?”
“Permission? Phex, what is going on?” Missit’s eyes got big and scared.
Phex had to hold both his arms tight to his sides to stop himself from reaching out. One touch and that fear would have dissipated. Missit in his arms and his own itchy, numb anger would be mitigated.
They simply didn’t work as acquaintances. They barely worked very well as themselves anymore. At some point, they had traded bits of identity. Now, to be apart left them with gaps unfilled, like a sauce that had curdled.
Phex glanced back at the acolytes, who seemed to be waking up to the fact that Phex and Missit were engaging in an intimate conversation, whether alone or not, whether touching or not. Phex and Missit were focused on each other.
Phex quickly turned his back on the great god and addressed Sacerdote Chalamee directly. “Those two academics wish to interview Asterism.”
The acolytes stopped crest communication at this direct verbal attack. They stilled all movements, confused.
“You should invite them aboard to interview us.” Kagee doubled back to join Phex in the face off.
“For science,” added Phex, with a quieting gesture at both Tyve and Jinyesun, who looked like they wanted to protest. Or at least like they might make a fuss in order to find out what was going on.
Missit’s face was a picture of confusion, hope, and betrayal. He obviously wanted to see his parents but also had no idea how he felt about them inside his own territory. And he had no idea why Phex, of all people, would want to invite them aboard the Nusplunder.
The acolytes exchanged confused crest-wiggles. Finally, the sacerdote said, “Of course we welcome the Scholars Emeritus, but are you certain? Asterism is in the middle of a performance cycle. Normally, outside interviews are for publicity, not research. Have you the time and the energy?”
Phex didn’t have anything else to say to them. He gave Missit an apologetic wince.
Missit threw his hands up in the air and then stormed away, frustrated.
The murmel stood on his shoulder, levered herself up onto her back legs by leaning on the top of Missit’s head, and chittered at everyone angrily.
The rest of Tillam followed. Yorunlee was last – it paused next to Phex.
“He’s not eating properly,” said the sifter.
“You think I can’t see that?”
“You’re not going to do anything about it?”
“What can I do?” Phex knew the frustration was coloring his tone into insult – with Yorunlee, of all Dyesi, the stiffest and the meanest. Jinyesun plucked at his arm in silent warning.
“You started this. You were warned not to.” Dyesi stubbornness was as set in stone as the caves they inhabited.
Phex curled his lip, as if he’d ever had a choice where Missit was concerned. “Yet here we are. Do you have a solution?”
Yorunlee’s crests went stiff for a long moment. “It’s a risk, but when they finally come for you, ask for truth in fungi.”
“What?”
“Just remember the phrase.”
“Truth in fungi?”
Yorunlee clicked a harsh, annoyed confirmation and then glided aggressively after the rest of Tillam.
Phex ignored the acolytes who were trying to get his attention and just walked away to Asterism’s quarters. After a brief hesitation, his pantheon followed. He heard Fandina and Jinyesun reassure the acolytes as to their willingness to be interviewed by scientists.
As soon as they were inside, Kagee said, “We can explain. And Berril and Tyve, we are going to need your help. But we must wait until we have privacy.”
The rest of Asterism clicked agreement and, since it had been a long day, began their evening rituals of hygiene and ablution and bed.
Late that night, after lights were out when the bodyguards were pacing the hallway but probably not the acolytes anymore, Kagee explained.
“Phex and I are too blunt, so we need Berril and Tyve to take point with the visiting scholars.”
Jinyesun sounded crestfallen. “Why not me?”
“Because we have an agenda. Missit’s parents are highly educated Sapiens, they may speak like Dyesi but they aren’t. We must approach with our best social manipulators. They’re academics, Tyve, use flattery.”
Tyve clicked. “Like a trade negotiation.”
“Why me?” wondered Berril from her top bunk.
“You’re cute and everyone likes you.” Kagee didn’t like to compliment anyone except Berril.
“Phex wanted to invite Missit’s parents to interview us, but actually we want information from them?” Fandina sounded wary but not unwilling.
“For Kagee,” added Phex.
“For Kagee?”
“This has nothing to do with Missit?” Jin pushed.
“Nothing,” agreed Kagee.
Both sifters clicked in tones of profound relief.
Phex said, just to make sure they knew, “I would never ask you to betray the divinity.” Because he wouldn’t. If he were to betray the divinity, he would do it alone and try to leave the rest of Asterism out of it, especially his beloved sifters. It wouldn’t be fair to involve them. Not that he intended to betray the divinity.
Not yet, anyway.
Phex added, to make his point, “To be kind to Missit, I would never have invited them aboard at all. I doubt he wants to see them.”
“You think Missit does not desire to reunite with his breeders?” Jinyesun sounded truly shocked.
Phex grappled for a way to explain that the Dyesi would understand. They seemed to have such clearly defined relationships between the life stages. How to articulate the Sapien concept of family? Especially when he himself had only an outsider’s understanding. “Missit wants them to be what they cannot be.”
“What is that?” Fandina asked.
“Parents. So, maybe I should have said that I don’t think he should want to see them. Best to limit exposure.”
Fandina huffed. “Sapien familial relations are so complicated.”
Jinyesun moved them back to the main topic at hand. “What does Kagee need from Missit’s parents?”
Kagee said, “Godsong causes something called enlightenment. Apparently, this is happening faster on Agatay than normal because of Asterism. Or that’s what Phex gathered from talking to Missit’s parents. It’s what they are here to research.”
“Phex talked?” said Tyve.
“For a while. I stopped him.”
“Why?” asked Berril.
“He was about to stop talking and start hitting.”
“Fine, keep your secrets.” Tyve sounded more amused than annoyed. “So, you want Berril and me to find out what Missit’s parents think is going on here?”
“Yes.”
“Because this is your planet. And your exes are in charge of it.” Tyve was quick on the uptake.
“Versus the divinity.” Kagee made it sound like war, which Phex thought was very Agatay of him.
“You make it sound unpleasantly combative,” said Fandina. Mirroring Phex’s thoughts in a way that he would have believed impossible for a Dyesi.
Phex was overwhelmed by a grave suspicion. “Fandina, do you and Jin know what this enlightenment theory is?”
Fandina was very careful. Phex could hear it in the precision of its words, even if its crests were out of view. “Not as such.”
“But you have some idea?” pushed Kagee.
“We aren’t sure how Sapiens would phrase it.” Jinyesun came to Fandina’s defense.
“Is it third beauty?” asked Phex.
Jin’s tone went flat. “Not exactly. It’s a concept for which there is no translation. But if the Scholars Emeritus are trying to research it, they might have reached an understanding in such a way that Sapiens could comprehend without offense.” Its pronouns changed, indicating it was talking directly to Fandina. “I think that would be a good thing, don’t you?”
Fandina’s tone softened. “Would it? Is it usually better when Sapiens know the truth, or will they willfully misunderstand like always? Sapiens also seem to specialize in that.”
Phex had to agree with that assessment. Especially where the Dyesi were concerned.
Kagee said, “Okay. So, we talk to Missit’s parents and see what we can find out. Then you assess if we comprehend in the way that you think is correct? Test us? After all, we’re gods, we have a better understanding of the Dyesi already.”
“If you don’t get it, no Sapien will?” suggested Fandina, slipping into amused informal.
“Exactly,” agreed Kagee.
The two sifters clicked.
Phex relaxed. All of Asterism was in agreement. Missit’s parents were going down.
11
THE FIXATION HAS BROKEN
The acolytes set up the interview between Missit’s parents and Asterism with very little fuss. Apparently, they were disposed to favor scholarly research, especially when dealing with abnormal planetary reactions to the divine. If they could figure out why Agatay already had its first fixed, they wanted to. It might guide better, more controllable results on the next ex-core planet. Or mean they should stop using Asterism for first divine conversion. Or Phex assumed that’s what they hoped to find out.
They wanted to know if this freak occurrence was the result of Asterism or Agatay, or a combination of both.
First, however, Asterism had another performance to get through.
It went as well as the previous ones. Again, for Phex, it was made magic by the enthusiasm of the congregation. Their willingness to immerse themselves in godsong was unprecedented. They were so responsive. They gave back so much adulation and love.
Phex was touched and a little awed by how much he enjoyed the experience because of them. Not just with Asterism but with Tillam as well. Being a god was not so bad, if this was the kind of thing he received in return. Missit’s face during their cantor together was pure joy. The golden god forgot everything when he performed for a crowd like this. He could forget being separated from Phex, his parents suddenly appearing, Fortew’s illness. It all faded in response to the congregation. Or, at least, it seemed like it did from Phex’s perspective.
